Timey WimeyStuff
by xxlexiifaithhxx
Summary: "B-but Mr. Bow-Tie-Man-" "It's The Doctor." he corrected. "Doctor?" "Yep." "Doctor Who?" He gave me a wide, genuine grin. "Exactly."
1. Confrontation

"And so I told her,' Jane, if you want guys to like you you're gonna have to let them know you find them attractive." Mary Elizabeth babbled on and on before our last class.

"Wow, what words of wisdom." I replied monotone.

"I know! And she just won't believe me—"

"Okay class," Mr. Simmons stepped into the room. I thanked the heavens for today's lesson; only as long as it got Mary Elizabeth to shut up.

"Since today is Friday, I've decided to push your test until next week. Feel free to utilize this time for study, or talking, or whatever you young adults do nowadays." Just before Mary was about to get started, I walked up to Mr. Simmons.

"Is it okay if I leave now? I'd much rather study at home."

"I suppose," he nodded, "have a wonderful weekend."

"Thank you, Sir." I headed for the exit.

"I expect good grades next week!" he called from behind me.

~O~

The chill air blew, making my hair whip around in curly blonde wisps. I walked the London streets, ignoring the passerby. Though it's not like they were doing anything interesting. After all, this city is so dull. The buildings are dull, and the people are dull. Everyone is so much the same that there's no individuality. After all my 21 years of being alive, the only thing I've ever looked forward to is the comet that comes every 100 years. In fact, it's the only reason I've stayed here; this is supposedly the best spot to see it. The news says that it'll be soaring through the sky Friday of next week.

I smiled to myself. I could hardly bare the idea. After that, it's off to traveling the world, one country at a time all by myself. Finally, freedom. Caught up in my own thought, I didn't even see the person running into me. I fell to the ground, landing on my bum with a thump. My curls fell in my face, masking my embarrassment from the world.

"Oh dear, my apologies. Here," a hand reached out to me. I slowly took it as the person helped me to my feet.

"I'm so sorry," I began adjusting my hair, "I was just so lost in thought that I…" I trailed off. In front of me was a man. A tall, slim, strange looking man. Well, I wouldn't call him _strange_, but he was definitely different from everyone else. He was dressed in old man's clothes, had a nice little bow tie, but—best of all— he had a cheery grin on his face.

"You know, they say we only get lost in thought because it's an unfamiliar place."

"Who are _they_?" I asked.

"Hmm, I'm not quite sure but whoever they are, they're very wise."

"Indeed." He glanced at his watch which seemed oddly space-agey.

"My! Look at the time. I've got to get going or I'm going to miss the T—" he cut himself short, looking at me. "Thing. Or I'm going to miss the thing. Well then, off I go!" He began to rush away when something clinked out of his coat pocket. A strange looking device it was, what with it's many buttons and lights. I picked up the gadget carefully. I turned around to see the man halfway down the street. Though I couldn't tell what it was, the man probably needed it.

"Uhm, Sir?" I called after him, getting no response. "Excuse me!" I walked after him. He turned a corner, so I had to run to keep him in sight. As I approached the end of the lane, my eyebrows pulled together in confusion; this wasn't another road…it was a dark, wet, alley way. The man seemed to be nowhere in sight. I silenced my breathing as I took another step forward, the click of my heel echoing down the way. I gripped the object tightly against my chest.

"Mister Bow-Tie Man?" I called. Just then, something rustled at the end of the walk. I pressed against the bricks of the wall, squinting to see through the dark. Just barely could I make out the strange man.

"Excuse me!" I jogged blindly into the alley. As I neared closer, I was able to see a tall, shadowed figure— very box-like— centered in the street. The man was climbing into it and closed the door seconds before I could brush the handle. I looked up to the sign displayed on it. It read, "_Police Public Call Box_." Apparently, this man was making a call to the police. Did he think I was stalking him, or that I stole his little device? I sighed… this is what I deserve for trying to help people. I leaned against the box, deciding to wait for him to finish the call; mainly because I wanted to straighten the situation out. But I didn't have to wait long. The box began to make weird, foreign sounds. The more sounds it made, the less dense it felt. Eventually, I fell bum-first into a mud puddle. I looked up… but the box was gone.

"How could it have disappeared? It was just here!" I was so puzzled. I couldn't be going crazy. I was just leaning up against it! After a few more minutes of confusion, I left the scene. Better to forget what had happened.


	2. The Wandy-Buttons-Thingy

But how could I possibly forget with that weird doohickey sitting on my dresser? I shook my head in exasperation; I couldn't deal with this. I shoved the thingy in my sock drawer, hoping to forget sooner than later. I continued to roam around my flat. In the kitchen, I made a jelly sandwich, grabbed a bag of chips, and headed for the living room. I didn't bother changing clothes yet. I turned on the telly, flicking listlessly through the channels. I had finally settled on watching some nighttime soap opera when I heard some strange beeping sound. It echoed creepily through my dark flat, so I couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. At first, I tried to ignore it; I've been through enough insanity today. Instead, I was going to take a nice, _long_ relaxing shower. Grabbing some linens from the closet, I headed into the bathroom. I turned the hot-water knob all the way so that I could physically see the steam wafting from the shower. I peeled off my muddy clothes and stepped into the tub. The water faintly scalded my skin, but the burn felt like a warm embrace; something I haven't experienced in a _very_ long time.

I sighed into myself. It wasn't that I don't like human interaction. It's just I don't like people. Especially the ones around here. This dull, boring, bland, tasteless city. Then, something clicked inside my head.

_What about Mr. Bow-Tie Man? He seemed fairly interesting, and he's a _man. _You could—_

I shook my head insistently. Who was I kidding? I was probably never going to see the man again. After all, he had _disappeared into thin air_. But then again, I have his little wand thingy. He'd come back for that, right?

Again, I shook my head. _Maybe he doesn't even want it._ I turned the shower off. I pulled back the shower curtain and reached for my towel. Wrapping it around my body, I grabbed my hairbrush and opened my bathroom door. As I was exiting, I huge gust of wind erupted blowing my school papers everywhere. The strange sound I'd heard from earlier was loud in my ears. I tried to cover them, barely blocking the noise. Just as soon as it'd started, it stopped. The flat was quiet once again…but a big blue box stood five feet in front of me. I heard the door on the side facing away from me unlock.

"Well, what do we have here?"

_That voice,_ I stood frozen. I recognized that voice. The voice of a familiar stranger. I listened carefully as light footsteps made their way around the structure. Soon enough, Mr. Bow-Tie was standing in front of me. Strange though, his face looked an uncomfortable shade of red. He began to speak.

"I suppose this is yours." He looked away from me. In his hand was…


	3. It's Called A 'TARDIS'

"T-That's my towel!" I screamed, running to take it from him, but instead I slipped and pulled it down with me.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry. Are you hurt?" he reached down to me. I snatched my towel and slid away from him. My face was boiling with humility.

"What are you doing here? How did that…that _thing_ get in here?" I choked, getting to my feet. He seemed offended by my question.

"This is no 'thing,' she is my TARDIS."

"Your what?"

"My Time And Relative Dimension In Space." He smiled and puffed his chest proudly.

"Yeah, okay. You mind telling me what it's doing in my flat?" He blushed again, fidgeting with his hands.

"Well, I hadn't exactly meant for that to happen."

"Well what was supposed to happen?" I asked, picking out some clean clothes and hiding behind the other side of the "TARDIS" to change.

"I had set the coordinates to take me to find my screwdriver." I walked back around to face him.

"Your…screwdriver?" I said in disbelief.

"It's not just _any_ screwdriver. It's my sonic screwdriver. I seemed to have, uh, _misplaced_ it."

"You mean that weird little gadget you dropped in the street?" He pulled his brows together, a corner of his mouth turning up.

"So you've seen it?"

"Yeah. I have it."

"You have it?" he face-palmed himself. "Well no wonder the TARDIS dropped me off here! Where is it?"

"Oh," I walked over to my dresser, pulling out the sock drawer. The 'screwdriver' was the cause of the beeping and was glowing a bright green. I wrapped my hand around the wand-thingy and pulled it out. Just as I was about to hand it over, I had an idea.

"If I give this to you, will you leave?" I'm not sure why, but the thought of him leaving made my chest hurt.

"Of course. I'm a traveler: never in one place for very long." I tried not to frown, gripping the screwdriver tighter. I slowly gave it to him, making sure I extra careful.

"Thank you. Well, I'll be on my way." He turned to go.

"Wait," I stopped him, cursing under my breath that I'd spoken up. He turned around, hopeful, his usual grin on his face.

"Yes?"

"Do you live around here?" I stalled. His grin faltered.

"No. I'm afraid I don't really have much of a home anymore." I was taken aback. What person didn't have an idea of home?

"Then where are you going?"

"The Tea Shoppe."

"At ten at night? It's sure to be closed." I countered.

"Not when I'm going." His smile was back.

"What?"

"Not what. _When_. Besides, I'd better get going or my tea will get cold. Bye." He walked to the front doors.

"B-But…" I trailed off. With that strange sound pounding through my ears again, he disappeared. After a few more minutes in the living room, I decided to head to bed. I pulled the covers up to my chin, burrowing into my pillow. It took a lot of will to close my eyes.

_Sleep_, my brain told me. _This is all a dream. You'll see. Tomorrow, everything will be normal_. And it was. Life went on just as blank as it always did.


	4. Believing

I looked at the test score in my hand. It read: B-

I had never made a grade so low in my college career. For me, this was devastating, but how could I possibly study—or get anything done for that matter— when I'm having strange episodes about a man in a bow tie? Yes, I'm calling them dreams; it's much easier to accept things that way. Monday is a truly evil day… In hopes to cheer myself up, I decided to cut through the park on my way home. Unlike the other college kids playing Frisbee or socializing, I went to take my normal seat on the stone bench underneath the oak tree. But today, I wasn't alone. Some man was reading the daily paper, his face masked behind it.

"Excuse me, Sir. Is this seat taken?" I asked politely.

"'Course not. Please, sit down." He replied, not bothering to look away from the news. I plopped down beside him and dropped my bag to the ground. I heard my books rustle around, but none fell out. I let out a large sigh. Things were back to their boring routine. I can remember walking through town every day, looking over my shoulder for that big blue box. I even checked in the same alleyway once or twice. I propped my head on my hand.

"Why are you reading the news, may I ask?" I spoke to the man.

"To catch up." He replied.

"On what? Nothing ever happens 'round here."

"Not quite true, my dear. Things are happening all around you all the time, every day."

"Do they now?"

"Yep."

I peeked at the man from the corner of my eye. Just behind the papers, I could make out… a bow-tie. I nodded slowly, realizing my company.

"So you're back." I stated, rather than asked.

"That I am, my dear. That I am." He put down the paper and gave me his Grade A smile.

"Why are you here?"

"To enjoy a day in the park, and catch up on some news."

"Are you stalking me?" I scoot over a bit, feeling uncomfortable.

"Of course not! That's illegal."

"Did you know I was going to be here?" _Or were you actually looking for me? And why does that idea give me a glimmer of hope? _

"Well, Delilah, I've seen the past, present, and future."

"That's ridiculous! You couldn't possibly."

"Oh, but I can. All with the help of the TARDIS." I laughed a loud, sarcastic laugh. He laughed along with me for a moment.

"Exciting, isn't it?" he said.

"I don't believe you." I lied to myself.

"But you've seen it appear for yourself."

I crossed my arms over my chest. I could feel my cheeks heat up. "None of that was real. I'd just had a bad day. Completely logical that it was all just a dream."

"I can assure you, that was no dream." His cheeks tinted pink, which quickly spread to his ears. As embarrassed as I was, it was sort of cute to see him this way— all awkward and flushed.

"Moving on," he lifted his index finger, "I've got planets to save, people to meet." He began to stand up.

"You save planets?"

He looked down at me as he spoke. "Planets, civilizations, solar systems, universes even."

"All on your own?" After I had said that, The Doctor's entire demeanor changed. He looked sad, his eyes full of longing.

"It didn't use to be this way." His voice held a pained tone that told me he'd been through a lot. He sat back down as I continued the conversation.

"So, civilizations. Like human civilizations?" I asked, trying to switch topics. He met my eyes, once again smiling.

"Human and _alien_ civilizations."

"So there aren't just humans?"

"Obviously not." He motioned to himself.

"You're not human?" a corner of my mouth turned up in a skeptical smile.

"Nope."

"You look human," I observed.

"You look TimeLord."

"Come again?" I was suddenly confused.

"That's what I am. I'm a TimeLord."

"I don't understand. What makes you any different from me?"

"Lots of things."

"Like what?"

"For one, I have two hearts."

"You're joking," I smiled, "why?"

"So I can regenerate. In other words, I won't die if I do happen to regenerate."

"No way."

"See for yourself," he held out his hand to me. I hesitated. I met his gaze; he was grinning at me. It was strange, this feeling of trust I had for him. But how could I not? He was a quirky man with a brown blazer and a little gingham bow-tie.

I gently set my hand in his. He lifted it to his chest, putting it along the lining of his button-up shirt. Focusing, I could feel the thump of two beating hearts. Even when he removed his own hand, I kept mine there in awe.

"You're telling the truth." I whispered. _The TARDIS, the screwdriver, the two hearts…who was this man? _A flood of emotion rushed through me, but the main one was my curiosity.

"You thought I was lying?"

"It's not that. It's just that I didn't believe you." I removed my hand.

"Why wouldn't you believe me?" he laughed.

"I don't hardly know you!" I exclaimed, but quieted when I noticed that few people were giving us weird looks.

"Delilah," he smiled, "don't be so coy."

"All I know is that you're a man with two hearts who drives a phone box and has a habit of showing up everywhere."

"That's really all there is to it; I'm just a mad man with a phone box." He laughed.

"I don't even know your name."

"The Doctor," he held out his hand formally, "pleasure to meet you." I rolled my eyes in exasperation, but he kept smiling at me, still holding out his hand. A smile spread across my face, and I giggled.

"The pleasure is all mine," I shook his hand. "By the way, how do you know my name? I don't recall giving it to you."

"Ah, that's because you didn't."

"Then how?"

"Past, present, and future." He smirked. I reciprocated it.

"You're a very interesting man, Doctor. You've definitely lightened my mood."

"Oh, no problem."

"I'm very grateful," I glanced down to see the time on his watch and gasped at how long I'd been sitting here. "You'll have to excuse me. I have to be getting home soon, before curfew."

"Well then, let's hop in my TARDIS and I'll get you there."

"_You_ want _me_ to get into _that_? Isn't it a bit small for the both of us?"

"Eh, it's much roomier on the inside."

"How can it be roomier? It's designed for one person!"

"But it's mechanics allow more, and since you never refused my offer, it's time to get going! Wouldn't want to be late now would we?" he pulled my hands, helping me to my feet.

"But…if you're a time traveler, wouldn't that mean you're never late?"

"Ah, now you're catching on!" He dragged me along the paved path back to the gates of the park. We reached the TARDIS and I leaned against one of the double doors as he fumbled with a tiny key.

"So you're telling me you have an amazing time machine that can phase through time and space…and it requires a _key?_"

"It doesn't 'phase' per say. More so, I wouldn't want it falling into the wrong hands." There was a little _click_ in the lock. As he opened the door, a faint light glowed from inside.

"Dear Delilah," he ushered me inside, "welcome to the TARDIS."

It was massive! It was a giant, open room with a large blue column in the center that was surrounded by an array of levers and buttons. Every detail of the machine was so intricate, that most times I had to do a double-take.

"Go ahead. Say it," he goaded.

"It's much bigger on the inside." I smiled, convinced.

"Aha! Now that's a believer!" he came up behind me, lightly shaking my shoulders.

"It's magnificent! It's….It's..." I trailed off at a loss for words. I turned to face him, excitement lighting up his features as he showed me around.

"So how do we get to my flat?" I finally asked.

"First, we have to input a date, then the time, which should only be about five to ten minutes from now. Then we can add your desired location—in this case, your address— then I get the TARDIS going. Geronimo! We're gone. A simple process, really."

"Then let's go," I tugged on his sleeve, eager to go.

"You sure?" he teased.

"Yes, Doctor. I want to travel through time."

He was about to butt in when I added, "and space."

He then pressed a series of buttons, pulling levers, and input my address which he seemed to already know.

"Now," he began, "I want you to pull that little lever right there."

"Me?" I pointed to myself.

"Who else?" he chuckled. I shifted my feet nervously.

"What if I mess it up?"

"How would you mess it up? All you have to do is pull it."

"O-Okay." I stuttered as I gingerly pulled down the switch. The TARDIS began to shake, and I stumbled to regain my balance. I was failing miserably but The Doctor caught me by the arm before I fell over.

"Thanks." I smiled up at him.

"I guess I should've warned you about that." He smiled half-heartedly, helping me up.

"Would've been nice." I laughed.

~O~

We stood in my flat once again. I held onto his arm as he escorted me off of the TARDIS, mainly because I was afraid of falling when getting off.

"Doctor, that was amazing! Do you really do that all the time?" I asked.

"Yep. And I enjoy every second of it." He smiled.

"Wow," I placed a hand on the TARDIS doors. This had been the most fun I'd had in years. The Doctor backed away, bowing and kissing my hand formally (which definitely made me blush).

"This is adieu, my darling." He smiled, letting go of my hand. It fell limply to my side, still feeling his lips against it. He reopened the doors, silently creeping in.

"Doctor?" I called just before he shut the door.

"Yes?" he poked his head out.

"You are…coming back, aren't you?"

"Of course! You know much about me, but it doesn't seem fair that I know nothing about you."

I smiled the most sincere smile I've ever truly felt. "'Till then, Doctor."

"Until then, Delilah." He nodded.


	5. Very First

"Isn't it beautiful?" I asked The Doctor in my dream.

"It is," he smiled, lying next to me in the grass. "So this is what you've been waiting for?"

I looked from him, to the sky, then back to him and nodded. He gave me a warm smile.

"What a coincide—

"Wake up, sweetie!" he pulled the duvet off my bed.

"Hmph," I groggily glanced at my clock. It read 8:45 a.m. "Why so early, Doctor?"

"I'm neither early nor late. If anything," he sighed, "I'm right on time."

"You call this 'on time,' I'm not even dressed yet!"

"Then I guess it's the perfect time to get up. C'mon now, we've got a full day ahead of us."

"Doing what?" I asked, picking through my clothes.

"Oh, I don't know. Asking questions, telling stories, getting tea?" He stood next to me. I grabbed my clothes and walked into the bathroom. I was in the middle of fixing my hair when an idea popped into my head.

"Doctor?" I called through the door.

"Yes, Delilah?"

"Where are you when you're not here?"

"What do you mean?"

I stepped out of the bathroom, still messing with my hair.

"Are you on other planets? Do you ever sleep?"

"Everyone has to sleep." He laughed.

"Yes, I know, but at the park you told me that you didn't have a home. Where do you stay?"

"The TARDIS," he replied, as if I should've known.

"On the control room floor?"

"There are more rooms than just that." He chuckled.

"There are? How many?"

"It's infinite." My eyes widened.

"First you tell me it's bigger on the inside. Now you're telling me it's infinite?"

"Infinite is bigger, isn't it?" he smirked.

"Well, I…but….yes." I agreed.

"Now," he rubbed his hands together, "let's get going. I want to know all about you before noon." He pulled my hand, rushing me out of my flat.

"But, Doctor, where are we going? _When_ are we going?"

"Hmm…" he stopped abruptly, causing me to run into his back. He looked deep in thought as if deliberating a life or death situation. After about a minute, he turned to me.

"Where would you like to go?"

Surprisingly, my answer came easily. "I'm comfortable going anywhere with you, Doctor." He gave me a big, toothy smile.

"Have you ever visited France?"

"Nope." I shook my head.

"Would you like to?" I could feel the excitement from before returning.

"Let's go!" I took his hand in mine, pulling him out of my apartment building and into the street to be greeted by the TARDIS. We were inside quick enough and he began pulling knobs and pressing buttons.

"Can we go to past France?" I tip-toed to look over his shoulder.

"Past France?" his eyes didn't leave the control panels.

"Yeah. And can we go in spring? I've always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower at night, and it's not like we've done any major time-traveling yet. Maybe a hundred years or so, whatever you think is best."

"And you're sure you want to go that far back?"

"Yeah. Why not? Time-traveling is fun." _Especially when it's with you_, my mind echoed.

"Alrighty then. Off we go!"

And just like that, we were gone.


	6. Sipping Tea By The River

"Doctor, does this beret fit me right?" My blonde hair fell down my shoulders nicely, but the hat felt like it was at a weird angle. I walked into the control room.

This ship was ginormous! The Doctor showed me the way to the closet room; it was a miracle that I'd found my way back.

"You look lovely!" he took my hand, twirling me around. I was wearing a boys' vest with my jeans and some loafers. I told The Doctor I didn't want to wear one of those frilly dresses all the other women would be wearing.

"I will be okay wearing this out, won't I?"

"Yeah. I'm sure no one will mind, and if they do, it'll be a fashion statement." He smiled at me.

"Okay, Doctor," I straightened my vest, "I'm ready to go."

"Fantastic! Let me just park her right here." He pulled a tiny lever and we stopped. "You want to check it out first?"

"Can I?" I asked animatedly.

"Go ahead. Open the door."

I slowly pulled the door open, letting in the scent of bread and pastries.

"Mmm…" I could feel my mouth watering as I stepped out, being fully immersed by the smell of the bakeries.

"Smells nice, doesn't it?" The Doctor stepped behind me.

"Oh, yes. Even better when it's authentic." I practically drooled.

"Well then, let's go get some."

"But Doctor," I tugged on his sleeve, "I don't speak French."

"Then I guess you'll be my mute companion."

I shrugged. "I guess I can do that."

So I kept my mouth shut as we visited a tea shoppe on the corner of the street we were on. The store smelled old, but also had the wafting scent of delicious goods. The Doctor walked confidently up to the baker behind the bar.

"Deux tasses de thé et une baguette s'il vous plaît?" I was astounded by how well The Doctor's French was. He noticed my amazement.

"You did want bread, right?" I was about to speak when I remembered my duties. I nodded my head in response.

"Dix Francs." The man said. The Doctor pulled out some old foreign bills from his pocket.

"Ooh," he grimaced. He leaned over to whisper in my ear. "I seem to be two bills short. Sorry."

I tapped his arm to tell him that it was okay.

"Je suis deux courtes. Jamais min." The Doctor told the man. The baker nodded, then analyzed the two of us as we were turning to leave.

"Est-ce votre dame?" I picked out the word 'lady.'

"Pourquoi, oui. N'est-elle pas belle?" Doctor put his arms around my shoulders, pulling me close. What was going on?

"Un peu bizarre dans les vêtements de garçons, mais oui." The Baker laughed. "Que diriez-je prendre ce que vous avez franc au lieu de la totalite du prix?"

_Bizarre? Did he just call me weird?_

"Merci mon brave home." The Doctor shook the man's hands, giving him what bills he had. He then grabbed out tea and bread and led me to a balcony adjoining the store. He set the food down on a small wrought-iron table then pulled my chair out for me. I looked around to assure we were alone.

"Do I still have to be mute now?" I whispered.

"Ha, no. Not anymore." He grinned.

"How did we get our food? I thought you said we were two short."

"We were, but I told him you were my wife and he took the rest off."

"He pitied us?" I asked offended.

"No. He was intrigued, I guess."

"Hmm…" I nibbled on my bread. "He called me weird."

"I thought you said you couldn't speak French."

"I said I _didn't_. I never said I _couldn't_. Besides, that pretty much translates into every language."

"Anyways, it was the boyish clothes, but I think you look rather cute in them," He sipped his tea.

"Thank you, Doctor," I blushed, sipping my own tea.

"You're not usually such a flatterer," a woman's voice spoke to The Doctor directly. We both turned to look. A woman in a puffy dress fanned herself.

"Hello, Sweetie."

~O~

"River," the Doctor smiled fondly, "what are you doing here?"

"Spoilers…but I could ask you the exact same thing." Her gaze flickered to me and I lowered my beret.

"I've made a new friend," he replied.

"Ah, a _friend._" She enunciated the word. "How did you meet this one?"

"She ran into me on the streets of London." At this point, I just wanted to fold into myself and shut them both out.

"Doesn't seem like that would stop you, Doctor." River countered.

"During that little run-in I dropped my screwdriver. She had it, so I came to get it."

"You _dropped_ it?" River asked in disbelief. The Doctor shifted in his chair.

"I did."

"Doctor, may I have a word with you?" she stood up.

"But what about Delilah?" he asked.

"Don't worry about me," I answered quickly, "I'll be fine right here."

He shot me a pained look. "Alright then. Don't go anywhere, we'll be right back."

River took him out of earshot, and it was clear that they were having an argument. Hand gestures were thrown everywhere…especially at me.

_What does that woman have against me?_ Later than sooner, they both returned to the table.

"Well, Delilah. It seems that it's time to go. Wouldn't want to impose on the 20th century French, now would we."

"No, Doctor. I suppose not." I stood up from the table. "It was nice to meet you, River."

"Likewise." She replied coolly. The Doctor gave her a disappointed look.

"Off we go." He marched towards the TARDIS.

O00O

"You hardly know her. You're _my_ Doctor, not hers!" River exclaimed.

"I understand, River. Just calm down." The Doctor tried quieting her.

"How can I be calm when you're traveling with another companion?"

"I've traveled with plenty of people." He stated. River inched closer.

"You're intrigued by her."

"How would you know?" he asked.

"Because you used to look at me that way…" she trailed off.

"River…"

She suddenly became angry once more. "And I know that you're not careless nor clumsy enough to 'drop' your screwdriver." She then stomped off.

The Doctor stood bewildered. She was right; he _wasn't _careless enough to do such a thing. And he _was_ fascinated with Delilah. But how could he help himself when she looked so familiar?


	7. Childlike Awakening

I said nothing as we reentered the TARDIS. In fact, I didn't say anything the whole ride home. I was walking to the doors when The Doctor cut me off abruptly.

"What's wrong?" he asked concerned.

"Nothing," I replied. He directed his screwdriver at me and I covered my eyes at the bright, green light.

"My screwdriver indicates that you're lying."

I crinkled my brows. "It can do that?"

"No, but I know that you are. So you might as well tell me what's bothering you."

"Doctor…" I whined, trying to move around him with no avail.

"If something's bothering you, I want to fix it."

"You can't fix this Doctor."

"Is it the TARDIS? Is time-traveling too much for you? I knew we shouldn't have gone that far back—"

"It's River," I blurted. "I'm just a little…shaken up, over the situation."

"Oh," he averted his eyes from mine.

"Why doesn't she like me?" I asked.

"It's not that she doesn't like you…" he trailed off.

"She just wants me to stay away from you," I finished his sentence.

"Exactly," he exhaled.

"Do _you_ want me to stay away from you, Doctor?" I asked hopeful, looking deep into his eyes. He seemed to search my face frantically as if hoping to find the answer written there. A few moments of wordless silence passed.

"Doctor?"

"No," he stated. "No."

I smiled, a warmth growing in my chest. "Well, I guess that makes me feel a little better. So, who is River exactly?"

"My wife."

~O~

"Delilah? Delilah, are you okay?" The Doctor's face appeared gradually as the blackness behind my eyes faded. "Ah, there she is. Finally waking up." The Doctor sat cross-legged on the floor and pulled me into his lap, kissing my forehead. He rocked me back and forth, softly stroking my hair. I looked over his shoulder, seeing the glass-like TARDIS floor.

"Doctor, I don't feel very well."

"That's probably because of the major drop in your blood pressure," he pushed back some of my, now frizzed, curls. "I'm glad you weren't around anything that could've really hurt you, but your vitals should be back to normal."

"Why did you invite me?" I snapped of the end of his sentence.

"Don't you want to travel with me?"

"Yes," I blushed.

"Then it only makes sense that I know more about you." He helped me stand, and opened the TARDIS door where my flat was untouched. He led me to the couch where I sat down gently. "First off, does that happen often?"

"No, I believe that was the first time it's ever happened."

"Okay. That's reassuring when traveling."

"Why are you traveling with _me_? Why don't you travel with River? After all, you are married to her." I mumbled the last part a bit, well, enviously_. _

"Eh, you shouldn't really focus on that. It was an end of reality type thing," he fidgeted.

"You seem awfully fond of her," I observed.

"She has really gotten me out of trouble. Thing is, we never meet at the right point in time."

"Then why was she there?"

"I never know. I assume it's in my future, even though she's always in my past."

"It must be frustrating."

He sighed loudly, plopping next to me on the couch. "You have no idea."

"Maybe not, but I have a pretty vivid imagination." We both laughed.

_Why am I so jealous?_ _Why does she bother me so much? _

"So what do you say?" he interrupted my internal babbling.

"About what?"

"Will you travel with me?"

I thought about the great time I'd had with The Doctor before River came; all the dressing up and the excitement. But then I remembered the comet. It was the only reason I've stayed miserable for the past four years since my parents left.

"Honey, are you sure?" Mother asked worriedly.

"Yes, mum. There's no way I can miss this. It's the biggest astronomical spectacle of this generation!"

"Can't you just come back when it happens? You have plenty of time before it starts." my father asked.

"But then I'll have to quit my college studies. If I move to America with you, there's no guarantee that I'll be able to join an astronomy program. Things are different there. Besides, I'm old enough to live on my own. I have a stable, paid internship at the college, and I'm sure I'll find a really nice flat."

"And you'll visit?" Mother asked.

"Whenever I can," I smiled. Mum and Dad both hugged me as they said their goodbyes.

"I never did visit," I spoke to myself.

"Visit where?" The Doctor looked at me.

_I'm sure The Doctor has a lot on his mind, so I shouldn't bother him with my emotional turmoil_.

"France," I lied, "that's why I wanted to go so badly."

"Sorry we left early. I know you wanted to see it at night, but maybe if you travel with me, we could." He scoot closer.

_You know you want to._

"I'd really like to, but I have some…_obligations_."

"School?"

"Not really." I already know everything.

"Job?"

"Eh, not so much." I have inheritance and bank interest.

"Family?" he guessed.

I hesitated. "No, no family." I suppose he noticed my sudden mood swing because he quickly changed the subject.

"Do you have a meeting for something?"

"Sort of," I shrugged.

"What for?"

"You know, you are extremely nosy," I scolded him.

"I have a nose— I have a right to be nosy."

"All that aside, I'm waiting for Andromeda's comet."

The Doctor tilted his head in curiosity. "You're waiting for _that_?"

"Look, I know it sounds silly, but it means a lot to me. It's said to be the most beautiful thing ever to happen astronomically. Being an astronomer myself, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." I couldn't look at him. My career must sound ridiculous to a space/time traveler.

"This really means a lot to you," he observed.

"Incredibly so."

"Then I guess I've got to…_wait_," he pronounced the word with a shudder. I could understand why; when you can travel through time you never really have to wait. It must make him impatient.

"I'll go with you, Doctor," I placed my hand on his, "just not today."


	8. The Doctor's Midnight Visits Pt 1

It was easy to sleep after all of the day's excitement. Slumber was a welcoming warm blanket as I curled up in bed.

I had dreams; they were very vague dreams. There's a man. I was listening to his foot-steps, but I couldn't see him. In fact, I couldn't really see anything; but I could _feel_. His body weight made itself present beside me. I could feel the warmth of his skin as he ran his fingers down my cheek. He played with one of my curls, twisting it between his fingers. I could feel my body reacting to his touch as I tried to reach out for him. I felt his hand under mine, pressing it against my cheek. My consciousness rocked along with his quiet laughter.

"Ah, so playful even in sleep," his voice was like velvet drifting through my mind. I stirred with recognition.

"D…Doctor?"

My eyes shot open to see my bedside table. My calendar clock read 9:37 Wednesday 5, 2013 as I kicked off my blue duvet. Taking a second look at it, you might even call it _TARDIS BLUE_. I giggled at my own joke.

I flattened the wrinkles in my sleep shorts and made my way to the kitchen to make breakfast. After walking a few feet down the hall, I found out that I didn't have to. The smell of eggs wafted towards me as I entered the living room. Even though the already made breakfast was nice, it was a bit frightening to know someone had previously in my flat. I checked the door and windows, but they were all still locked. There was only one explanation.

"Doctor?" I called out. There was no answer.

"Doctor?" I tried again, but no answer came again. I shrugged it off, walking over to the bar. A shabby-looking omelet lay on one of my fine-china plates that was set on pale pink placemat. The silverware was set out perfectly next to a tall glass of orange juice. I sat down on the barstool preparing to dig in when something caught my eye.

I picked up the box and turned it over carefully in my hands. It was wrapped in blue paper and tied with gold ribbon. Attached to the ribbon was a small tag which read: To Delilah.

I carefully unwrapped the gift, wondering what could possibly be inside. Lifting off the lid, I didn't understand. There was a gray, metal slate. What this was for? I flipped over the tag to see if there was an included message, but there was none.

I picked up the slate, examining it for some sort of clue. When none was found, I sighed, exasperated.

"That is just like him to leave me a puzzle."

"Incoming message…." the little gray slate beeped suddenly. I jumped in my skin, startled by it. "Incoming message…." It repeated.

"Okay, okay." I picked it up, seeing the digital words displayed on the 'screen.'

"Incoming message…."

"From who?" I asked.

"Incoming message…." It droned on.

"From who? Who is it from?"

"Incoming message…."

"Who is it from?!" I yelled, scaring the pigeons that had been sitting on my terrace.

"Incoming message from 'The Doctor.'"

"Okay, well, open it."

"Incoming message from 'The Doctor.'"

"Just open the bloody message!" I demanded.

"Opening message…" the slate complied. I groaned loudly.

"Hello, Delilah!" I looked up to see a hologram of The Doctor waving at me. "If you're watching this, then that means it Wednesday morning! Or afternoon…whatever time you got up. Anyways, since our last chat, I've been on a little escapade. While I was traveling, you came to mind so I decided to send you this holographic postcard. Right now, I'm currently standing on the planet of Altaria. A beautiful place, might I add."

The hologram camera panned behind him to show a vast, magnificent forest surrounding a ginormous castle. The castle looked chrome and it shimmered in the light.

"I bet you're in awe right about now," he smiled. I nodded as if he could see me.

"Well," he continued, "I'd hate for your breakfast to go to waste. See you soon! Or later. Now that I think about it, I'm not quite sur—"

"End of message." The slate spoke.

"How sweet." I smiled.

"Would you like to reply to this message?"

"Yeah, sure. In a minute though…" I began forking eggs into my mouth.

"Video messaging beginning…in 3…2…1…"

"What?" I swallowed my food and hurriedly fixed my hair. "Uhm, is it on?" I asked the slate.

"Please begin recording…."

"Oh, okay. Well, uh…hello Doctor! Thank you for this, uhm, thing. Not quite sure what it is yet, but thank you. First off, thank you for breakfast. At least, I assume it was you," I laughed nervously. "The eggs are great, by the way. Uhm…" I couldn't think of anything else to tell him.

"Are you finished?" the slate asked.

"Oh, wait, no. I have one more thing. Doctor…thank you…for thinking of me, I mean. It's nice to know that even when you're…God knows where, you take the time to remember me. I miss you already. See you soon…or later."

O00O

He was hiking through the mountains of Altaria on his way up to the palace when his backpack beeped. He slung it off his shoulder and pulled out the silver holopad.

"Incoming message from 'Delilah Peters….'"

"Open it, please," The Doctor smiled brightly. In seconds, the messy-haired blonde appeared on screen, her mouth full of the breakfast he'd prepared for her.

"What?" he tried fixing her bed-head. "Uhm, is it on?" She paused for a bit.

"Oh, okay. Well, uh…hello Doctor! Thank you for this, uhm, thing. Not quite sure what it is yet, but thank you. First off, thank you for breakfast. At least, I assume it was you," she laughed. "The eggs are great, by the way. Uhm…"

The pause was longer and she began twisting her blonde curls. She looked up quickly, staring directly at him. "Oh, wait, no. I have one more thing. Doctor…thank you…for thinking of me, I mean. It's nice to know that even when you're…God knows where, you take the time to remember me. I miss you already. See you soon…or later."

He smiled warmly at her frozen image on his holopad. "I miss you, too, Delilah."


	9. The Doctor's Midnight Visits Pt 2

Since The Doctor was gone, I thought I might as well get some work done. Though I didn't have much to get done.

I'd finished my homework within an hour and a half, and managed to tidy my entire flat before two o' clock. Sighing loudly, I slumped onto the couch. Maybe I could do the things I used to.

I pulled a box out from under my coffee table. Inside it was all of my Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter, and Pirates of the Caribbean collection. These were the movies I've loved ever since I'd hit thirteen. Popping in 'The Philosopher's Stone,' I sat back enjoyed the movie. By the time ten-thirty rolled around, I was half-way through the first Star Wars DVD. I meant to close my eyes for just a second, but sleep was all to welcoming.

O00O

The Doctor set his course for Delilah's flat. He made sure of himself that he was extra quiet when arriving. Stepping carefully out of the TARDIS, he looked around the dark living room. The television was blaring music as the Star Wars credits rolled by.

_How cute_, The Doctor thought to himself. He went over to sit on the couch, but was surprised that little blonde Delilah was curled up on it.

"My dear, why are you curled up on the couch?" he kneeled on the floor next to her.

"…Doc-tor…" she mumbled sleepily.

"That's right, it's me," he pushed back her tangled hair. Gently looping his arm around her legs and waist, he lifted her off the couch. It took a bit more effort than he thought it might. He carried her down the hall and into her bedroom. After he'd set her down, she began to sprawl out, but not without keeping a firm hold of him. Even in her current dreaming state, she'd managed to forcefully pull him into the bed with her.

"Oh my," he blushed. "Delilah, love, please let go of me." He tried pulling away again, but she just brought him closer.

His face was nuzzled into the crook of her neck and she wrapped her arms tighter around him. It seemed the more he struggled, the tighter her grip became.

"…Doctor," Delilah spoke softly.

"Yes?"

"D-don't forget…."

"Don't forget what?" he looked up at her, tears dripping from her closed eyes.

"…don't forget me….when you're gone." She pulled him into her, but this time it was more of a hug. The Doctor was touched by her tired plea.

"I promise I'll remember." As if he could possibly forget her. Ha.

He returned her embrace, and the feeling of her in his arms sent shockwaves of buried emotion barreling through him. He reveled in the moment, but was soon shot down by his memories. Only one thing came to mind when he held her petite frame: _Rose_. Everything about this setting felt wrong; he should be thankful for Delilah's compassion. But everything about her reminded him of Rose. Her blonde hair, hazel eyes, and bright smile. Even their personalities were somewhat alike.

Delilah's grip on him finally loosened up and he slipped away.

"I'm sorry," he shrugged, "I'm trying to work on coping with it. Maybe one day it won't be so hard."

He felt a little ridiculous speaking to her whilst she was asleep, but he knew there was a chance he could still hear him.

"Maybe one day, I can look at you and not feel so….overwhelmed." He covered Delilah with her heavy duvet, kissing her temple gingerly. "Till then, sweet Delilah."

She lightly mumbled her reply.

"Sleep well," he shut the door softly behind him.


	10. A Gift

The Doctor was leaving for a very mission today.

"Don't forget me when you're gone, okay?" I hugged him tightly.

"I promise I'll remember," he hugged me back.

"Doctor…" I groaned as I awoke.

"Correct. Incoming message from…'The Doctor.'"

"What?" I pushed myself up with my weak arms. _Weird, I don't remember coming to bed last night._

I sat up straight, wiping the sleep from my eyes. The slate droned on, and I let it. When I sent a message to The Doctor this time, I was at least going to be ready.

Once I finished fixing my hair, I returned to the slate.

"Okay," I checked my face one last time, "open the message."

The screen showed The Doctor in his TARDIS, pressing buttons.

"Delilah!" he turned around. "As you can see, I'm on my way home from Altaria. I've gotten you a gift! You should be able to receive in 3…2…1.."

From my bedroom I could hear sounds of the TARDIS arriving.

"Soon," the hologram waved. Like a child on Christmas morning, I ran eagerly into my living room. The Doctor was just stepping out of the TARDIS.

"Doctor!" I threw my arms around him.

"Delilah! It's so good to see you're smiling face!" he pat me on the back.

"So how have you been? How was Altaria? Was it amazing?"

"Well," he loosened his collar, "The king and I got into a bit of a scuffle and I was, well, _forced_, to depart earlier than was planned."

"Oh. Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I got out before anything actually happened. On the upside, I have something for you."

"Ooh! Do you really?" I beamed.

"Here," he handed me a little ball.

"It's a marble," I tried not to let my disappointment show.

"No it's not!" he laughed.

"Uhm, Doctor. I may not be the brightest crayon in the box, but I'm pretty sure I know what a marble looks like."

"I don't know what crayons have to do with this, but just look." He took back the marble and rolled it in his hand. There was a tiny silver star on it. He lightly pressed his finger over it, and within seconds a large holographic map was displayed across the entire room. My room seemed to be transformed into light years worth of stars and planets, all swirling around me. I tried to touch one, and was amazed. I thought it would burn, but it didn't. It felt icy-cold and hard under my touch.

"Doctor…" I put my hand on his arm, pulling at the tweed fabric.

"Don't get excited just yet. There's more," he smiled at me. He led me around the room, naming all of the stars as we passed by them. "Ready for the best part?"

I nodded avidly.

"What's your favourite planet?"

"Saturn." I replied.

"Ooh, great selection. GPS, show me Saturn."

"GPS? Like, Global Positioning System?" I inquired.

"It's _Galactic_ Positioning System. Why be limited to just the Earth? Your perspective should be expanded, trying to understand the complexity of the universe…" The Doctor kept talking, but I had stopped listening. Instead, I took to watching him explain; his face would always light up once he told me of his travels. His eyes sparkled along with the stars, and he called them all by name. He led me by one of his hands, the other he used to point out various constellations. I smiled warmly at him. I was so entranced by him.

"Delilah?" he asked, smiling at me.

I shook myself from my day-dreaming. "Yes, Doctor?"

"Look," he pointed to the giant, lovely planet before me. The rings hovered in front of me, the little asteroids circling perfectly.

"Will it hurt if I touch it?"

"No, but it will get a little a dusty."

I reached out to it, and The Doctor was right (as always). The pink dust felt like steam and it shimmered like glitter as I wiped it from my hand onto the floor. "It's so mystifying."

"I thought you'd love it."

"It seems you know much more about me than I thought," I told him. I honestly didn't know whether to be creeped out or flattered. "It's like we've already met."

"I'm fairly sure we haven't," he shifted his feet awkwardly. Something about him seemed off just now. "Well, what do you have to do today?"

"I was going to stop by the Café and check up on my job status. Payday was last week and I never picked up my check."

"Then let's go do that! I want to see what you do," he stood up, rushing around my flat.

"Okay…" The Doctor was acting quite weird; moreso than usual. Was he hiding something from me?

O00O

He was trying to explain to Delilah the complexity of the universe, but it took him several minutes to realize that she wasn't paying him any attention. Well, not to his lecture anyway. Instead, she was watching him intently…_very_ intently. She smiled at him, a loving fondness in her eyes. It was just like the way Rose used to look at him.

_No_, he thought to himself, _I have to try harder not to think of her._

"Delilah?" he drew out her name, reassuring himself it was her.

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Look," he pointed to Saturn. The rings hovered in front of them, the little asteroids circling around slowly.

"Will it hurt if I touch it?"

"No, but it will get a little a dusty."

She reached out to touch the planet. "It's so mystifying."

"I thought you'd love it."

"It seems you know much more about me than I thought," she tilted her head. "It's like we've already met."

"I'm fairly sure we haven't," he shifted his feet. "Well, what do you have to do today?" He tried changing the subject.

"I was going to stop by the Café and check up on my job status. Payday was last week and I never picked up my check." Delilah replied unsurely.

"Then let's go do that! I want to see what you do," he stood up, rushing around the flat. He didn't want her to notice his absence of conversation. All he wanted to be was distracted.


End file.
